How to find cheap flights to Des Moines International Airport (DSM)
Right now, $39 is the cheapest price for a one-way flight to Des Moines International Airport. Or you can reserve a return plane ticket to DSM for $71.
Book when it's best with Price Alerts. You'll get an email or a notification on the app if the price of tickets to DSM changes.
Lock in a bargain on tickets to Des Moines, where Des Moines International Airport is located, by booking early. You're more likely to discover a great deal and have a wider selection of departure options.
Select the 'Add nearby airports' filter and expand your search for cheap flights to Des Moines. This will show you every airport around your departure and destination points.
Search for plane tickets to Des Moines International Airport that come with a stop or two. Indirect routes are often cheaper. After your results appear, select the 'Stops' filter to explore your options.
Best time to go to Des Moines
You can typically catch the cheapest flight to Des Moines in May.
If you have flexible travel dates, take advantage of the 'Whole month' tool. It'll show you the cheapest month, and even day of the year, for flights to DSM.
July is the most popular month for flights to DSM. It's an ideal time to experience Des Moines at its liveliest.
The quietest time of the year to travel is April. Book your plane tickets to Des Moines then and enjoy sightseeing at a more relaxed pace.
With averages of between 59ºF and 88ºF, July is when Des Moines is warmest. Schedule your visit around your preferred weather conditions to make the most of your time here.
January sees the lowest temperatures, ranging from about 9ºF to 36ºF.
October comes with a lower chance of grey skies. With five days of rain on average, this is the driest month in Des Moines.
It's rainiest in May, which gets around ten days of wet weather.
Traveling to Des Moines International Airport (DSM): What you need to know
Travel to Des Moines in a single journey. These are some of the airlines that offer direct flights to Des Moines International Airport:
Consider booking your DSM plane ticket with Southwest Airlines. It's the leader in on-time performance, with up to 83% of flights into this hub showing up on time.
The timezone at DSM is UTC-5.
Whether you're arriving late or simply want the convenience of staying close by, you'll find some comfortable hotels near Des Moines International Airport. Kick back at one of these after your flight to DSM:
You can pick up a car rental in DSM with popular suppliers such as Hertz, Enterprise and Alamo. Grab the keys and get ready to explore Des Moines and beyond.
Des Moines International Airport ranks well for punctuality, with up to 80% of outbound flights landing as scheduled. That's good news whether you're heading home or catching a connection.
Getting to central Des Moines from Des Moines International Airport (DSM)
Central Des Moines is about 6 miles from DSM.
Once you've touched down from your flight to DSM, the drive to the center takes around 15 minutes.
The journey on public transport takes about 45 minutes.
Des Moines has no shortage of places to rest your head. Here's a roundup of comfy hotels to put on your short list:
Des Moines highlights
These leading sights should be on your must-do list after hopping off your flight to Des Moines:
Grandview Park: Offering a memorable introduction to what the city has to offer, this landmark is around 3 miles east of the center.
Discovery Garden: Find a nice place to sit and enjoy some time out here while exploring Des Moines. You'll find this park roughly 3 miles east of the center.
John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park: Looking for more reasons to visit Des Moines? This landmark draws in the crowds and is about 2 miles south-west of the city center.
How to get to Ames from Des Moines International Airport (DSM)
The nearby city of Ames is about 40 miles from DSM. Heading into the center by cab or ride-share takes around 50 minutes.
Allow for a travel time of 9 hours 30 minutes or so when making your way to Ames on public transport.
Traveling from Des Moines International Airport (DSM) to Marshalltown
Marshalltown is about 55 miles from Des Moines International Airport if you're going in that direction.
Going there by car takes roughly 1 hour 5 minutes.
Explore more of the United States
There are plenty more places to explore in the United States, starting with Kansas City. Jazz 1, National WWI Museum and Memorial and Jazz Pantheon are must-sees in this city, which is about 170 miles south of Des Moines. Kansas City International Airport (MCI) is the major airport in Kansas City.
Omaha fits right into any adventure through the United States. You'll find it roughly 120 miles west of Des Moines. Children’s Adventure Trails, Kiewit Luminarium and Suzanne & Walter Scott Aquarium are visitor favorites.
Let your travels lead you to Lincoln. Roughly 170 miles west of Des Moines, Hyde Observatory, Museum of American Speed and Lied Center for Performing Arts are reasons to go.